Trip Report: Mallorca, April 4-10, 1999

Ted Reed, United Kingdom; E.J.Reed@open.ac.uk

Background

This was a seven day family holiday with my wife and daughter. Although some time was spent on the beach, a few hours were spent birding every day. We did stick to the northern sites though.

We saw most of the birds we hoped to see. Too early for Eleonora'a Falcon though.

Main Sites

S'Albufera

We visited this site on one morning, and three evenings. The herons were good here. Also as many Black-winged Stilts and Kentish Plovers as you wanted. Cetti's Warblers were remarkably thick on the ground, and there were plenty of Purple Gallinules. The Moustached Warblers were a bit tricky, but we eventually managed good views near the aptly named viewpoint.

The hides here are good, and one is close to the visitors centre, which you can drive to on weekdays. Probably the best site we visited. You can spend as little or as much time as you like here.

Boquer Valley

An excellent birding site, and a pleasant place to go for a walk. There seemed more birds in the first bit, before and around the finca. However as the terrain, and vegetation changed, the birds changed too.

Not as many rapters as we had hoped, but very good. If you are staying in Puerto Pollensa, it's worth going even if you only have an hour or so to spare.

Cuber

Slightly disappointing. However it was hot the day we went, and it was the only place we saw Black Vulture. So definitely worth the trip.

Cap Formentor

A great road, and the parking was good fun. The Shearwaters were really close in. Not much else though.

Worth it for the drive.

Albufereta

We didn't see much of this site. It seemed quite difficult to gain good access. We didn't see anything here that we didn't see elsewhere.

Ermita de Betlem

Actually the mountain above there. Worth the visit for the Thekla Larks. Tawny Pipits were a bonus.

The Depuradora

The waterworks behind S'Albufera. Good, but not much opportunity for a walk.

Worth a visit when your are short of time.

Casas Velles

Disappointing. You can only view the fields from the road now. Not much about when we visited. It might be better later in the spring.

Systematic List

  1. Little Grebe: Lots around S'Albufera.
  2. Cory's Shearwater: About 20 birds were close inshore at Cap Formentor.
  3. Mediterranean Shearwater: Three with the Cory's at Cap Formentor.
  4. Cormorant: We only saw one bird, at S'Albufera.
  5. Shag: There were a few on rocks off the beach at Puerto Pollensa, and several at Cap Formentor.
  6. Night Heron: Ten at roost in the pines at the entrance to S'Albufera.
  7. Cattle Egret: Several at S'Albufera. We also saw this species at the Depuradora and on the Albufereta.
  8. Little Egret: Lots at S'Albufera, Also at various other sites.
  9. Grey Heron: Singles seen at the Depuradora and S'Albufera.
  10. Purple Heron: Up to three seen on every visit to S'Albufera.
  11. Gadwall: Common.
  12. Teal: A few around S'Albufera.
  13. Mallard: Common.
  14. Shoveler: Several around S'Albufera.
  15. Red Kite: One seen at the end of the Boquer Valley on 5th.
  16. Black Vulture: Two drifted over Cuber on 6th.
  17. Marsh Harrier: Plentiful around S'Albufera and Albufereta.
  18. Booted Eagle: One seen on most visits to the Boquer Valley, and one near Ermita de Betlem.
  19. Osprey: One flew over S'Albufera on 7th being mobbed by gulls.
  20. Kestrel: Very Common.
  21. Peregrine: One in the Boquer Valley on 5th, and one over cliffs near Betlem on 10th.
  22. Moorhen: Common near water.
  23. Purple Gallinule: Plentiful at S'Albufera.
  24. Coot: Common.
  25. Black-winged Stilt: Lots at S'Albufera. We also saw several at the Depuradora, and on the Albufereta.
  26. Stone-Curlew: One in a field with sheep near Finca Boquer on 10th.
  27. Little Ringed Plover: Several at the Depuradora, and at S'Albufera.
  28. Kentish Plover: Lots in front of Bishop 1 Hide at S'Albufera.
  29. Little Stint: About 10 in front of Cim Hide at S'Albufera.
  30. Temminck's Stint: Two in front of Cim Hide on 8th.
  31. Ruff: One at the Depuradora on 9th.
  32. Snipe: Several at S'Albufera.
  33. Spotted Redshank: Two in front of Bishop 1 Hide on 7th.
  34. Redshank: Singles at the Depuradora and S'Albufera.
  35. Green Sandpiper: Two at the Depuradora on both visits.
  36. Wood Sandpiper: Four at S'Albufera.
  37. Common Sandpiper: One seen at the Depuradora on both visits.
  38. Black-headed Gull: A few at various sites.
  39. Audouin's Gull: Five seen regularly on the beach at Puerto Pollensa. None seen elsewhere.
  40. Lesser Black-backed Gull: One at S'Albufera on 7th.
  41. Herring Gull (michahellis): Very common.
  42. Sandwich Tern: Two on the beach at Puerto Pollensa on 10th. Other terns seen near the Albufereta and at Ca'n Picafort were almost certainly this species.
  43. Woodpigeon: Not as common as in England, but still plentiful.
  44. Swift: None seen until a single bird on 7th. Then lots, including a large flock at the Depuradora on 9th.
  45. Pallid Swift: One seen well with the Swift flock at the Depuradora on 9th.
  46. Hoopoe: Two seen regularly in the Boquer Valley were feeding young. A bird at the Albufereta on 5th was calling. A few others seen in various places.
  47. Thekla Lark: Two birds (one singing) were showing well near Ermita de Betlem on 10th.
  48. Sand Martin: Several Seen.
  49. Crag Martin: Several birds seen on all visits to the Boquer Valley. A few were flying around the dam at Cuber.
  50. Swallow: Very common. A large flock at the Depuradora on 9th.
  51. Red-rumped Swallow: One seen at the Depuradora on 9th.
  52. House Martin: A few birds only.
  53. Tawny Pipit: Three near Ermita de Betlem on 10th.
  54. Water Pipit: Two at the Depuradora on 4th. One was still present on 9th.
  55. Yellow Wagtail: Common. We saw iberiae, flava, and probably flavissima.
  56. White Wagtail: A few at the Depuradora on 4th. Still one there on 9th
  57. Wren: Single birds seen at Cuber and in the Boquer Valley.
  58. Robin: Two at S'Albufera, and three in the Boquer Valley.
  59. Black Redstart: A pair near Finca Boquer, seen twice.
  60. Redstart: 10 (all males) at Casas Velles on 7th, but only 1 there on 9th. A couple of males were usually around the base of the Boquer Valley. Strangely, we never saw a female.
  61. Stonechat: Very common.
  62. Wheatear: A male at Casas Velles was present on both visits, but was the only one we saw.
  63. Blue Rock Thrush: One, possibly two males, and three females in the Boquer Valley. We also saw a female near Ermita de Betlem.
  64. Blackbird: Very common.
  65. Song Thrush: One at the Depuradora on 4th.
  66. Cetti's Warbler: Very common at S'Albufera.
  67. Fan-tailed Warbler: We saw this species at the Depuradora, the Albufereta, and on some rough ground in Alcudia. Not as common as I thought.
  68. Moustached Warbler: We heard a couple of birds, but only saw one. A bird which showed well near the viewpoint at S'Albufera.
  69. Reed Warbler: One singing at S'Albufera on 6th. We didn't see it though.
  70. Great Reed Warbler: One singing and showing well at S'Albufera on 7th.
  71. Marmora's Warbler: Good views of two, probably three, near the end of the Boquer Valley.
  72. Sardinian Warbler: Very Common.
  73. Blackcap: Common.
  74. Willow Warbler: Several seen at various places.
  75. Great Tit: A few birds.
  76. Woodchat Shrike: Several seen at a variety of sites.
  77. Raven: 15 at Cuber, 5 in the Boquer Valley, and 2 near Betlem.
  78. House Sparrow: Very Common.
  79. Chaffinch: Only seen near Cuber, at Lluc, and Casas Velles.
  80. Serin: Lots in the Boquer Valley, and a few at other sites.
  81. Greenfinch: Common.
  82. Goldfinch: Less common than Greenfinch, but still plenty about.
  83. Linnet: Common, particularly in the Boquer Valley.
  84. Cirl Bunting: A few seen at various places, but there seemed to be quite a lot near Campanet.
  85. Reed Bunting: A few seen at S'Albufera.
  86. Corn Bunting: Very common away from the mountains.

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    This page served with permission of the author by Urs Geiser; ugeiser@xnet.com; June 11, 1999